“We all have dreams that exist outside ourselves, we see them in the stars at night, they inspire us to keep reaching”
What is that existence beyond ourselves? What is it about the stars and moon, reading our horoscopes or googling mercury retrograde, that even just for a moment, pulls us away from the mundane?
Some call it magic, some call it woo-woo, I call it wonder. And what is dreaming if not to let yourself wonder. Walt Disney said in Cindarella; “a dream is a wish your heart makes, when your fast asleep” there is no better feeling than waking up with a dream in your belly. Dreams can take us anywhere. And indeed, they do. When we look at all those around us that inspire, I bet your bottom dollar they are pursuing a dream. All transformations begin with the words from the inspiring lips of Martin Luther King; “I have a dream.” When we dream, anything becomes possible.
I have lived my life following one dream after the other, some have come true, some changed directions and some got me through times of pain, challenge and heartbreak. That is the true power of dreams. The world through the dreamer’s eyes is full of colour that keeps them curious. A dream is a candle of hope, that keeps us moving towards something.
Speaking of pain, if I may share with you a personal heart break? I will never forget the day I got the call telling me my Aunty had taken her life. Not so much the time or what was said, its the feeling I remember. Two years on and a lot of processing later what still hurts deeply; is seeing somewhere along her journey. She had stopped dreaming. I have come to accept her choice to take her life, though I wish with every sense of my being that she had made a different one. As I reflect on the loss with with a clarity that only death brings, the vitality of dreams pulses through my fingers. We are all dreamers, pursuing the wishes in our heart navigates us through life. Whether for a prince like Cinderella, (not for me) new legs like Ariel or sharing your gifts with the world, let your heart guide you. Here are some of the ways to get working on them.
- Welcome a relationship with the mystical
Astrology, moon rituals, yoga, hugging-tress, I am all in when it comes to the mystical. We all have a different way of connecting with something outside of ourselves. Some magic happens somewhere, trust it. I have always used astrology as my way of exploring our connection with the universe, which even influences my characters. Check out my latest masterclass if you are looking for a place to start.
- Surround yourself with dream builders
When I am running low on mojo or feel my dreams needs a boost, I go and get it. Surround yourself with your dream builders, any person, place or message that inspires you to make it happen. We all need a boost to get our dreams of the ground, no man is an island. Even Hugh Grant in About a boy who insisted he was Ibiza, had to eventually realise he was in fact just a man.
- Get high on conversation
Talking about our dreams is one of the best ways to get them fired up. Who you have those good for the soul convo’s with can be anyone, from a friend to a complete stranger you are yet to meet. Dreams come alive when we talk about them.
- Develop a dream habit
I still remember that feeling of waking up with the dream to write my first book, that dream was bought to life with my writing routine. An hour every morning for two years come rain, shine or jet lag. What a dream habit looks like will be different for all of us, go at your own pace, though get ready to pull your sleeves up.
- Enjoy the journey
When I look back at all my dreams wherever they ending up leading, I never regret a single second spent dreaming. Every dream was a learning experience, full of lessons, small wins and setbacks. They often lead us somewhere completely unexpected and when we get there we realise, the gift was in the journey.
So, I leave you with the most wonderful question to ponder as you head back into your day…
What is your dream?
And may it manifest into something beautiful.
